Mining-machine.



L. F.- HESS.

MINING MACHINE.

111 1110111011 mm 110v. 21. 1914.

Patented July 27, 1915.

4 SHEETS-SHEET Attorneys.

Witnesses L. F. HESS."

PHNING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED NOV 21' I914,

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

1 Patented July 27 Z JQYZZZZZIJ Witnesses lnve'ntor) Attorney;

LOUIS Fl HESS, F ANSTED, WEST VIRGINIA.

, MINING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

To all whom it-may concern citizen of the United States, residing at Anstetl, in the county of Fayette and State of West Virginia, have invented a new and useful Mining-Machine, of which the fol' lowing is a. specification.

The (l8V1C6' forming the subject matter of this applidation is a mining machine of that general type in which the cutter shaft rotates'and slides longitudinally as it rotates.

One object of the present invention is to provide novel mechanism for rotating the cutter shaft and for imparting a 1ongitudinal sliding movement thereto. 7

.a-i. further object of the invention is to provide novel means for coupling up with the driving mechanism, the drums controlling the iiexible elements whereby the 'posi tion of the machine is adjusted with respect to the Work. I

It .is within the scope of the invention to improve in particularswhich will be pointed out hereinafter, the construction of a mining machine of the general type disclosed in this application.

With the foregoing and other ob ects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes'in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, can be made within the scope ,of what is claimed, without departing from thesp'irit of the invention.

in the accompanying drawing-Figure 1 shows the invention in top plan, portions of the casing being removed; Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section taken along a median plane; Fig. is a horizontal section taken along the line 33 of Fig. Fig. 4.- is a vertical longitudinal section taken along the line 4 of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a cross scc- 'ti'ui taken along the line 5-5 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a transverse section of one of the drums; Fig. 7 is a transverse e ection taken approximately along the line 77 of Fig. 1, parts being omitted; Fig. 8 is a side elevation of one of the gear Wheels depicted in Fig. 7, the shaft of the gearwheel appearing in section; and Fig. 9 is an elevation of the gear wheel shown in Fig. 8, one of the side disks of the gear Wheel being removed.

In carrying out the present invention Patented July 27, 1915.

Application filed November 21, 1914. Serial No. 873,313.

there is provided a supporting structure embodying a base plate 1 and. a casing 2, the latter including a top 3, terminated intermediate the front and rear of the machine, the4 rear end of the casing 2 being shown at .1

Fixed to-and upstanding from the base 1 and preferably formed integrally therewith IS a rear bearing 5. I

Located in front of the rear bearing 5 is a transverse intermediate bearing 6. Locatedin front of the intermediate bearng 6 is an intermediate partition 7 formed integrally with a longitudinal bearing 8 which is connected with the base plate 1, the longitudinal bearing 8 terminating in a front plate 9 abutting against the front wall of the casing 2. As shown best in Fig. 3, the intermediate bearing 6 is connected with the transverse partition 7 by means of side Walls 10 which are connected with the base plate 1. As Fig. 2 will most clearly show, when compared with Fig. 1, transversely spaced upper bearings 11 aresecured to or formed integrally with the longitudinal bearing 8.

A motor 12 Which preferably is driven electrically, is united With the rear end 4 of the casing 2 and is supported upon the intermediate bearing 6, as shown in Fig. 2.

The armature shaft of the motor 12 is denoted by the numeral 14 and carries a pinion l5 meshing into a gear wheel 16, the tubular hub 17 of which is mounted to rotate in the rear bearing Locatedin front of the gear wheel 16 is a pinion 18, the tubular hub 19 of which passes rearwardly through the tubular hub 17 of the gear wheel16.

Mounted to rotate in the hub 1510f the pinion 18 and to slide longitudinally therein is a cutter shaft 20 provided with a keyway 21 cooperating with a keyway 22 in the hub 19 of the pinion 18. The keyways 21 and 22 may receive key balls 23 or their mechanical equivalents, the construction being such that although the cutter shaft 20 is connected to the pinion 18 for simultaneous rotation therewith, the shaft nevertheless may slide longitudinally in the pinion. The rear end of the hub 17 of the gear Wheel 16 and thenaled for rotation in the intermediate partition 7 and' in the intermediate bearing 6.

To the rear ends of the longitudinal shafts 26 are secured pinions 27 which mesh into the pinion 18.

The forward ends of the longitudinal shafts 26 are equipped with worms 28 cooperating with worm wheels 29 fixed to a shaft 30 journaled in the lower rear portions of the upper bearings 11. The worm wheels 29 are provided with wrist pins 32 receiving the forward ends of pitmans 31, the

rear ends ofwhich are pivoted on studs 33 vat the'ends of a cross head 34sin'which cutter shaft is journaled.

Attached to the cutter shaft 20 in front I v of the cross head 34 and to the rear of the same are collars 35, the construction being such that although the cutter shaft 20 may rotate in the cross head 34, a reciprocation of the cross head 34 will produce a reciproing noted particularly for a disclosure of the details last above mentioned.

The gear wheels 37 are composite structures, each gear" wheel comprising an intermediate disk 39 carrying atoothed rim 40 forming the operative element of each gear wheel 37. To the opposed faces of the intermediate disks 39 of the gear wheels 37 are applied side disks 41 and .42. The aukiliary shaft 38 is threaded as shown. at 43 to receive nuts 44 which bear against the side disks 41." Ke s 46 are provided, the same have enlarge heads" 45, thekeys 46 bein received in seats 47 in the auxiliary sha .t

'38. The keys 46 engage in seats 48 in' the side disks 41, the enlarged heads 45' of the keys 46 being received in inclined seats 49 in the disks 42. are provided with central openings 50 of sufficient size, under conditions to be ex plained hereinafter, so that the disks 39 may rotate independently of the disks 41 and '42 and independently of the keys 46. The heads 45 of the keys 46 cofiperate with the disks 42 to hold the same against lateral movement, b the disks 41 may be advanced against the disks 39 by rotating the nuts 44,

the disks 42 acting as abutments for' the disks 39. By the operation above described,"-

the disks 39 may beconnected with the shaft 38 with a varying friction l-hold, to the end that, under-eXcessive-straiiis, the disks 39 may rotate independently ofltheshaft 38, thus avoiding a.v breakage of parts, it

being understood, however, that by the action of t he nuts 44 andfthe disks 41, the

The intermediate disks 39 v disks 39 ordinarily are bound]: against the disks 42 with suificient pressure so that a rotation of the disks 39 will prpduce a rota-. tion of the shaft 38.

Mounted torotate upon the shaft 38 ad- 'jacent the gearwheels 37 above described in detail are pinions .51, the outer ends of which are supplied with clutch elements52. These clutch elements, 52. are adapted to cooperate with the inner-ends of clutches 53 held to the shaft 38 forfrotation therewith but for sliding movement therealong, by

point, referring to Fig. 7, that the inner ends of the keys 54 serve as abutments for the outer side faces of the pinions 51, so

means of keys 54, it being notedat this if that the latter cannot movelongitudinally of the shaft 38. v

Journaled on the shaft 38 adjacent the 'en'ds thereof are pinions 55 having clutch elements '56 adapted to coiiperate with the outer ends of the clutches 53, the pinions55v lying adjacent the bearings 57.

The pinions mesh into gear "wheels 58 located upon the outer faces of drums 59 Fig. 2 will disclose.

The outer faces of the drums 59 and 60 are-provided with gear wheels 61 meshing into idle pinions 62 journaled on stub shafts 63 carried by the side walls of the casing 2, the pinions 62 meshing into the pinions 55.

A flexible element 65 is trained around the drum 59 and engages with a guide sheave 66 on the supporting structure, the. extrem-,

ity of the-flexible element 65 being carried laterally. and being anchored to the side Wall of the mine or elsewhere, as shown at 67.

A fiexibleelement 68 is trained around the.

drum 60 in a'fldirection opposite to that in which thei flexible elements 65 is trained and 60 supported on a drum shaft 64, the latter being carried by the bearings'l-l as around-the drum 59. The flexible element" 68 is carried across angularly disposed guidesheaves 69 and 70' andis extended laterally,

the extremity of the flexible element 68 being. attachedto the wall,ofthe mine or elsewhere by means of an anchor 71.

- The forward end of the cutter shaft 20 JcarrieS a cutter 72 preferably of the spiral type and including afhollar 73 constituting a 'means whereby the cutter 72 may be assembledwith the cutter shaft. The line of abutment'between the collar 7 Eaand the end of the cutter shaft 20i'is denoted by the'numer3h74. r

- The driving trainsavill now be traced out. A, reciprocating movement is imparted to the,cutter shaft 20-through the medium of a "train embodying the following elee ments :The motor 12,,its armature shaft 14, the pinion-. 1 5,' the gear wheel 16, the clutch 25, thefpinion18, the key balls 23 or their equivalents, and the cutter shaft 20.

A reciprocating moyementis imparted to 61. and the drums 59 and 60.

the cutter shaft 20 by a train embodying the following elements :.The motor 12, the shaft let, the pinion 15, the gear Wheel 16, the clutch 25, the pinion 18, the pinions 27,

the longitudinal shafts 26, the- Worms 28,

is rotated by the pinion 18.

Presupposing that the worm Wheels 29: are rotated as above mentioned, the drums 60 are rotated from the worm wheels by the following gear trains Th.e Worm wheels 29, the shaft 30, the pinions 36, the gear wheels 37, the. Shaft 38, the clutches 53, the pinions- 51, the gear wheels 58, and the drums 59 and 60. a

By shifting the clutches '53,'the drums 59 and 60 maybe rotated in a direction opposite tothan above described by'the co6peration' between the following elements: The gear wheels 37, the shaft 38, the clutches 53, the pinions 55, the idlers 62, the gear Wheels If the-clutches 53 are set in the intermediate positions shown in Fig], that is, out of engagement with the pinions 51 and 55, then the drums 59 and 60 may be rotated 1 independently of their driving mechanisms,

this operation being desirable at times, in order that the flexible elements 68 and 65 may be drawn freely off the drums. Each of the drums 59 and 60 may be rotated in opposite directions by shifting therclutch 53 so that it engages the pinion 55 or the pinion 51. The reversal in the direction of rotation of the drum is brought about by reason of the interposition of the vidle pin? ion 62 in one gear train; The gear whelf posite sides of the machine.

61 is of smaller diameter than the gear wheel 58 and when the drum is driven through the medium of the gear wheel 61, the speed of rotation of the drum is increased The drums 59 and 60 are driven from the shaft 38 by separate gear trains, and,thus. should one of the drums or its gear train become inoperative, the other drum may still be operated, thus preventing the machine from becoming entirely use less, so far as theoperation of the machine depends upon the rotation of one drum.

()ne of the weakest points in a machine of this type is at the place where the cutter 72 is joined to cutter shaft 20. In the present machine, the line 74 of abutment between the cutter 72 and the shaft 20 always reciprocates within the contour of the longitudinal bearing 8. If the juncture indi cated by the line 74 is, as in the present instance, always n'laintained within the bearing' 8, the joint in question is reinforced and strengthened so that in practice, a

breakage does not occur. At times, no-- tably when the machine is being transport ed, it is desirable to stop the rotation of the cutter shaft 20. This operation may be brought about by disengaging the clutch 25 and 17 of the pinions 18 and 16 respectively.

Then the pinion 13 may rotate uponthe hub 19 of the latter.

Since the flexible elements and 68am trained in opposite directions around the drums 59 and 60, the flexible element 68 will be paid out as the ilexible element 65 is drawn in. The flexible element 65 is employed for advancing the machine laterally to cause the cutter 72 to act upon the Work, and the flexible element 68 is em ployed for preventing the rear'end of the machine from swinging around, due to the pressure of the cutter against the work.

pinion 18 without actuating the The drums 59 and 60 rotate at the same speed, and consequently, the rear end of the machine cannot travel laterally at a greater speed than the front end of the machine.

f it is (lesired to swing around the rear end of the machine, the (ll-1511159 may be ,nncoupled by placing the correspomiing clutch 53 in an intermediate position, the

drum 60 being coupled up for rotation from the shaft 38 by manipulating the clutch 53 which is individual to the drum 60. Under the circumstances above described, the clutch 53 of the drum .60 is coupled up with the corresponding pinion 55, the gear wheel 61 actuating the drum 60 through the-me dium of the idler, 62. The drums 59 and 60 or either of. them may be used to move the entire machine laterally before the cutting operation is begun.

The guide sheaves (36 are duplicated and the sheaves 69 and 70 are duplicates at op- Consequently, the machine may be changed from a right hand cutter into a left hand cutter by reversing the directions in which the elements 65 and 68 are wound about their respective drums, the element 65 being'carried rear- -wardly and the element 63 being carried forwardly.

As hereinbefore outlined, the center disk 39of the gear Wheel 37', cooperating with the side disks 41 and 42 may be employed vl9 from the clutch elements 24 on the hubs 19 to effect a drive, or, under excessive strain,

"may be permitted to slip, thereby avoiding a breakage of parts.

Having thus described-the invention, what is claimed is: r

1'. In a mining machine, inner and outer independently rotatable members, means for rotating the outer member; a clutch form-'- ing an operative connection between the retatable members; a cutter shaft mounted forlongitudinal reciprocation in the inner member; means for connecting the cutter shaft fend the inner member for simultaneous rotation; and mechanism operatively connecting 1 the inner member with the cutter shaft for reciprocating the cutter shaft 1n the nner member. v

2. In a m ingmaclnne, a supporting structureiinner and outer independently rot'atable members; the cutter member being jourualed in the supporting structure; means for rotating the outer member; a clutch forming'an operative connection between the rotatable: members; a cutter shaft mounted for longitudinal reciprocation in the inner member; means for connecting the cutter shaft and the inner member for; simultaneous rotation; a second shaft 1ourn'aled 1n the sup'ortihg structure and disposed substantial y parallel to the cutter shaft; means for o'peratively connecting the second shaft r with theinner member; and means for operativelyeonnecting the second shaft with the cutter shaft to secure a reciprocation of the cutter shaftin the inner member.

3. In a device of the class described, a sup-- eoi'inecting the cutter shaft and the inner member for simultaneous rotation; a second a shaft journaled' in the supportin structure and disposed substantially para lel to the cutter shaft; an operative connection between the second shaft and the inner memher; a Worm on the second sha ft;a worm wheei journaled on the supporting structure, into which worm Wheel the worm meshes; a cross head 1 1 11 which the cutter shaft is rotatable; means for connecting the cross head and the cutter shaft for simultaneous reciprocation; and apitman form between the ing an operativeconnection Worm wheel and tbe cross head. a

In a miniug, machine, a supporting structure inner and outer indcpehdentl ro} tatabie members;- means for rotatin the outer member; a clutch forming an, p erative connection between the rotatable,/lnem-' bers; a second shaft disposed substantially 'parallelto the cutter shaft and journaledin the supporting structure; intermeshing pinions, one of which is secured ofthe-inner rotatable member; and means for 'operativelyconnecting the second shaft w th the cutter shaft to secure a reciprocat on'of the cutter shaft in the inner member.

5.11.11 a device of the class described, a

supporting structure; inner and outer indeto the second contour of the bearing. shaft, the other of which constitutes a part pendently rotatable members, the outer member being 'journaled in the supporting structure; a clutch forming an operative/connection between the rotatable members; means for rotating the outer membera-a sec- 0nd shaft j ournaled in thesupporting struc- .a secondshaft disposed substantially parallel to the cutter shaft; intermeshing pinions; one of which is mounted on the said second shaft, the other of which constitutes 'a part of the inner member; a third shaft journaled for rotation in the supporting structure and disposed transversely of the second shaft and the cutter shaft; a worm wheel on the third shaft; a worm on the sec- 0nd shaft and meshing into the worm wheel;

a. cross head in which the cutter shaft is rotatable; means for connectin the cross head to the cutter shaft for longitudinal reciprocation therewith; and a pltman forming an operative a connection between the cross head and the worm wheel.

6. In a mining machine, a supporting structure; a rotatable member journaled thereinya cutthr shaft mounted to reciprocate longitudinally in the rotatable-member; means for operatively connecting theoutter shaft and the rotatable member for'simultaneous rotation; a second shaft dis osed operative connection between the second :shaft and the rotatable member; a third shaft. disposed transversely of the second shaft and the cutter shaft; a wheel on'the third shaft; means on the second shaft for rotating the wheel; a cross head in which the cutter shaft is rotatable; means for uniting the cross head and the cutter shaft for simultaneous reciprocation; and a pitman forming an operative connection between the Wheel and the cross head.

4 7. In a mining machine,' a supporting structure embodying a bearin a cutter shaft mounted to rotate in the caring and to slide longitudinall in the bearing; a cutter on the cutter sha t;"tl1e line of union ..be

tween the cutter and cutter shaft lying at all times within the contour of the bearing;

and means forreciprocating the cutter shaft with the line of union between the cutter and the cutter shaft at all times within the .Intestimony that I claim the foregoing as substantially parallel to the cutter sha t; an

myown, I'have hereto'afiixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

witnessesz v 

